• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Builders claim mysterious man is Banksy after he was spotted at site of mural

Home> Community

Updated 18:12 20 Mar 2023 GMTPublished 18:10 20 Mar 2023 GMT

Builders claim mysterious man is Banksy after he was spotted at site of mural

The man in a bowler hat was spotted as the mural was destroyed

Emily Brown

Emily Brown

A group of builders are convinced they spotted Banksy in the flesh when a mysterious man was seen hanging around the site of the artist's latest mural.

But what do you think - would Banksy wear a bowler hat?

The renowned artist was back at it again recently as he created one of his iconic works in Broomfield, near Herne Bay, Kent - only to have it torn down by contractors who thought it was just another bit of graffiti.

Advert

Yep. Banksy's artwork, which could have sold for millions, ended up in a skip. But it's probably best not to dwell on that for too long.

Builders had been hired to demolish the 500-year-old former farmhouse that Banksy had used as his canvas, and it wasn't until the artist took to Instagram to share before-and-after pictures that the public realised what had happened.

The artwork - titled 'Morning is Broken' - featured a silhouette of a boy pushing apart some curtains made from corrugated iron, and workmen admitted they 'felt sick' after realising the piece was a genuine Banksy.

The remains of the mural have since been pulled out of the skip and attempted to be put back together, with Banksy expert John Brandler saying he would 'love to restore' the piece and put it on display it in Dover museum.

The man was spotted wearing a bowler hat.
SWNS

Advert

After the builders' mistake was realised, people who were in the area when the building was demolished have started to think twice about what they saw.

Sofia Akin was at the site at about 9.30am when she spotted a mysterious man taking pictures on his phone, dressed in a bowler hat, a long black coat and glasses.

Akin claimed it wasn't the first time the man had been seen in the area, saying: "I went to speak to [the builders] and ask for further details. Before I had the chance, a man appeared in a long black coat, bowler hat and glasses, seeming mysterious.

"The contractors said, 'That's Banksy, we saw him yesterday, he was here taking a picture of the mural'."

According to Akin, the builders claimed 'Banksy' had been seen with a crew before and after the mural was demolished.

Advert

The mural was demolished with the building.
Instagram/@banksy

"The men were all asking if he is Banksy, including some dog walkers that passed and he just laughed, not denying it," Akin said.

"He then disappeared off but was seen taking pictures of the site."

Before we get too excited though, pictures of the man have been shared with someone who claims to know Banksy, and they doubted it was really him in the bowler hat.

Resident Adam Brooks said workmen at the site spotted a man in dark clothes taking a picture of the building not long before the photos were uploaded to Banksy's Instagram.

Advert

Brooks said: "I spoke to the builders and they said they had seen someone in black on the hill this morning taking a photo of the building but did not think anything of it."

The resident went on to say it is 'exciting' that Banksy had travelled to Herne Bay, adding: "It is nice to see something so local.

"I really like Banksy art and to have it initially in my road it makes me think 'did he drive past my house, did I walk past him on the street?' It is a bit exciting."

Featured Image Credit: SWNS

Topics: Banksy, UK News

Emily Brown
Emily Brown

Emily Brown is the Community Desk Lead at LADbible Group. Emily first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route. She went on to graduate with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University before contributing to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems. She joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features, and now works as Community Desk Lead to commission and write human interest stories from across the globe.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

18 hours ago
a day ago
3 days ago
  • 18 hours ago

    Woman’s mukbang video inhaling entire claw of lobster is leaving people seriously unsettled

    Users on social media have been shocked by the viral mukbang footage

    Community
  • 18 hours ago

    Woman who runs legal brothel shares the 'one truth' she has found out from industry

    Former PhD student Catherine De Noire manages one of Europe's largest brothels

    Community
  • a day ago

    Therapist explains five 'subtle' signs your relationship could be ending soon

    Time for a hot girl summer?

    Community
  • 3 days ago

    American living in the US is dedicated to becoming a fully blown scouser

    People reckon the lad is doing a decent job at morphing into a Liverpudlian

    Community
  • Banksy has identity ‘revealed’ in newly released BBC interview from 2003
  • New Banksy piece stolen moments after artist shares picture of it in London
  • Expert shares interesting theory on true meaning behind the nine Banksy artworks that have appeared in London
  • New Banksy appears in London for ninth straight day and people think it's final piece of the jigsaw